You’ll Want To See The Mysterious ‘Blue Ghosts’ Of North Carolina Before Summer Is Over

Catching fireflies (or lightning bugs) and putting them in a mason jar is a favorite North Carolina pastime. Even if you’re not barefoot in the summer grass, anxiously cupping one or two in your palm, it’s exciting to watch them glow and dance around the yard on a dark night. While the fireflies make their annual appearance each North Carolina summer, there’s a very rare breed of firefly that appears in DuPont State Forest, for a limited time. Instead of a yellow, flashing light, they glow in shades of blue and green, and can glow for up to a minute. Thus, the proper name – phausis reticulata, has coined the nickname as the ‘blue ghost firefly.’

The blue ghost fireflies are commonly found around Appalachian forests, with spongy, leafy bottoms an nearby streams. The best bet for a sighting of these miraculous little creatures is deep within the DuPont State Forest.

Scientists have had a hard time studying these little guys - as their appearance is very rare and limited to certain times within the summer. But when they come out, it's a miraculous sight. It's noted that their numbers are dwindling, and today, they're mainly located within Appalachian Forests and DuPont State Forest.

Of course, with such mesmerizing and magical tones...there's legends linked to the Blue Ghost Fireflies. Locals believe them to be the ghosts of either Confederate or Union Soldiers (perhaps both) who lost their life during battle in the area. The fireflies make their appearance after sunset and are very hard to capture on camera. The key for viewing the fireflies is to sit, stay still and be patient. Who knows, you might get to witness them for yourself at one point or another in the magical mountains of North Carolina.

If you need more proof North Carolina is truly a magical place, here you have it. Have you witnessed the Blue Ghost fireflies for yourself, or tried to? When do you believe is the best time to view them?